Biden defends controversial autopen use for mass clemency decisions in NYT interview: ‘A whole lot of people’
Former President Joe Biden defended his use of an autopen during a recent interview, shedding light on his administration’s rationale for the controversial use of the technology. The interview with the New York Times was centered around his use of an autopen during the last pardons that he made during the end of his administration. In his final weeks in office, Biden granted clemency and pardoned more than 1,500 individuals, in what the White House described at the time as the largest single-day act of clemency by a U.S. president. Speaking to the Times on Thursday, Biden said that he “made every decision” on his own. HERE ARE BIDEN’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL PARDONS, WITH MOST SIGNED USING AUTOPEN “We’re talking about [granting clemency to] a whole lot of people,” the Democrat said. However, the Times reported that Biden “did not individually approve each name for the categorical pardons that applied to large numbers of people,” according to the former president and his aides. “Rather, after extensive discussion of different possible criteria, [Biden] signed off on the standards he wanted to be used to determine which convicts would qualify for a reduction in sentence,” the Times’s report read. Instead of repeatedly asking the president to resign updated versions of official documents, his staff used an autopen to put Biden’s signature on the final version. Biden’s comments came as Republicans attacked him for his autopen use on a massive number of official documents. In June, President Donald Trump sent a memo to the Department of Justice directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the autopen use, and to determine whether it was related to a decline in Biden’s mental state. BIDEN ONLY HAND-SIGNED ONE PARDON DURING FINAL SPREE, AND IT WAS HIS MOST CONTROVERSIAL ONE “In recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that former President Biden’s aides abused the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline and assert Article II authority,” Trump wrote. “This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history. The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.” Also in June, Trump told reporters that he thought it was “inappropriate” to use an autopen at all, though past presidents have used them. “Usually, when they put documents in front of you, they’re important,” Trump said. “Even if you’re signing ambassadorships or – and I consider that important, I think it’s inappropriate.” “You have somebody that’s devoting four years of their life or more to being an ambassador. I think you really deserve that person deserves to get a real signature… not an autopen signature.” Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
DOJ brass vowed full transparency on Epstein before turning up empty-handed
Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino all called for Jeffrey Epstein‘s sex-trafficking secrets to be made public long before the DOJ’s stunning about-face last week. “This systemic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list,’” read a joint memo leaked to Axios a week ago. “There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.” The revelation shocked many MAGA Republicans and Trump supporters, who had for years believed that Epstein was at the heart of a child sex trafficking ring that involved blackmailing prominent movers and shakers worldwide. Many also doubt the government’s finding that Epstein died by his own hand in New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center in 2019. Trump has since brushed off the Epstein investigation as old news, slamming a reporter who asked about Epstein during a Cabinet meeting last week, and posting a Truth Social message on Saturday defending Bondi for her leadership over the case and claiming that Epstein is “somebody that nobody cares about.” “LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB — SHE’S GREAT! The 2020 Election was Rigged and Stolen, and they tried to do the same thing in 2024 — That’s what she is looking into as AG, and much more,” Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post defending Bondi. “One year ago our Country was DEAD, now it’s the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World. Let’s keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.” MAGA WORLD ERUPTS OVER TRUMP’S DEFENSE OF BONDI AMID EPSTEIN FILES FALLOUT As MAGA supporters continue calling for details on Epstein’s crimes and alleged ties to the world’s elite, Fox News Digital took a look back at what Bondi, Patel and Bongino had to say about Epstein before the anticlimactic memo dropped. Just a couple of weeks after Bondi was sworn in as the nation’s 87th attorney general on Feb. 5, she joined Fox News Channel and touted her mission of transparency, most notably on Epstein, and the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. “The DOJ may be releasing the list of Jeffrey Epstein’s clients. Will that really happen?” Fox News’ John Roberts asked Bondi in an interview on Feb. 21. “It is sitting on my desk right now to review. That’s been a directive by President Trump. I’m reviewing that. I’m reviewing the JFK files, the MLK files. That is all in the process of being reviewed because that was done at the directive of the president from all these agencies,” Bondi responded. “Have you seen anything that you said, ‘Oh, my gosh?’” Roberts asked. “Not yet,” Bondi responded. Bondi released an initial batch of files on Epstein to a handful of social media personalities in late February, but the packets did not contain new evidence. However, Bondi once again vowed to come through on Trump’s message of transparency on Epstein’s “disgusting actions.” “This Department of Justice is following through on President Trump’s commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators,” Bondi said in press release. “The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein’s extensive network and begins to provide the public with long overdue accountability.” KASH PATEL TORCHES ‘CONSPIRACY THEORIES’ ABOUT BONDI FEUD AMID MAGA FUROR OVER EPSTEIN FILES The next month, in March, Bondi joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity and said she ordered the FBI to deliver evidence related to Epstein under a firm deadline, claiming a local field office in New York initially withheld evidence on Epstein. “I gave [the FBI] a deadline of Friday at 8 a.m. to get us everything,” Bondi said. “And a source had told me where the documents were being kept, Southern District of New York, shock. So we got them all by Friday at 8 a.m.” “Thousands of pages of documents. I have the FBI going through them… and Director Patel is going to get us a detailed report as to why the FBI withheld all of those documents,” she continued at the time. Bondi again in May fanned the flames of a potential Epstein bombshell when she stated there were no files missing from her investigation and that the DOJ had uncovered tens of thousands of videos showing Epstein with “children and child porn.” “No, the FBI, they’re reviewing tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn,” Bondi told the media in May when asked about the Epstein files. “There are hundreds of victims,” she added. “… The FBI is diligently going through that.” FBI’S DAN BONGINO AND ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI CLASH OVER HANDLING OF EPSTEIN FILES Bondi was confronted about her February comments on the Epstein files during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, where she defended her remarks to Fox News regarding claims that the Epstein files were on her desk and ready for review. “I was asked a question about the client list, and my response was, ‘it’s sitting on my desk to be reviewed,’ meaning the file along with the JFK, MLK files as well,” Bondi responded. “That’s what I meant by that. Also, to the tens of thousands of video, they turned out to be child porn downloaded by that disgusting Jeffrey Epstein,” she continued, saying no such videos would be released or “see the light of day.” Long before Patel was floated and named as Trump’s FBI chief, the longtime opponent of the “Deep State” claimed the FBI was in control of Epstein’s reported client list and said it could be released on Trump’s first day in office via a subpoena. “That’s under direct control of the director of the FBI,” Patel said in 2023 during an interview with BlazeTV’s Glenn Beck. “That’s a thing I think President Trump should run on. On day one, roll out the black book.”
The ‘tough cookies’ of Butler, Pa., remain united, hopeful one year after Trump rally shooting
No one in Butler, Pa. – population 13,000 – ever imagined their quiet community would become the backdrop to an attempted presidential assassination. But on July 13, 2024, gunman Thomas Mathew Crooks opened fire at a rally for once and future President Donald Trump at the local farm showgrounds, a burst of violence that reverberated far beyond western Pennsylvania’s rolling hills and changed the course of American history. One bullet grazed Trump’s ear and could have ended his life had he tilted his head even slightly. In the months that followed, Republicans rallied fiercely behind him. Trump went on to win re-election in a wave of support, with backers, and Trump himself, saying God had spared him to save America. Residents and rally attendees are still stunned that their town became synonymous with the attack, and saddened that Butler’s image as a peaceful farm community has been overshadowed by that dark day. FIRST RESPONDERS SIT DOWN WITH WIDOW OF FIREFIGHTER KILLED AT BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA TRUMP RALLY “For something like this to thrust Butler into the national and the international spotlight, it’s very sad,” J.D. Longo, mayor of Slippery Rock, told Fox News Digital. “It’s not what anybody in Butler or western Pennsylvania wants to be known for,” Longo said. “This is a place where you can start a family if you want to, have a great life.” But most of all, their hearts break for the family of the firefighter who lost his life when Crooks fired eight shots directed at Trump. “Many of us hope that, despite the ugliness and the horror of that day and the obvious loss of life that occurred, by way of losing Corey Comperatore, that Butler County can be remembered more for the way in which we unified immediately following that moment and how we came to the aid and the defense of the Comperatore family and of the president.” TRUMP REVEALS CRUCIAL, SPLIT-SECOND MOMENT THAT SAVED HIS LIFE DURING BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT There is pride in how Butler came together after the tragedy. But some can’t forget why it had to. “It definitely put us in a rough spot,” said Zach Scherer, a Butler local who volunteered for multiple Trump campaigns. “There’s some people here that think about this all the time.” “We feel really bad for Butler,” said Erin Autenreith of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, a longtime Trump campaign volunteer and rally-goer. “I’ve gone to the farm show for years,” she added, referring to the annual event that draws families from across western Pennsylvania. She described one of her favorite attractions – an area where cows walk in to be milked and a building next door that has vanilla milkshakes made from that milk. “It’s just so wholesome. My husband likes the truck pull,” she said. “It’s always been something we looked forward to, and now it’s tied to this.” REPORT GIVES NEW DETAILS ON TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT’S ‘DESCENT INTO MADNESS’ The Butler Farm Show, which allowed the Trump campaign to use its property for the rally, is also attempting to shake the association with the shooting. Members of the media are not permitted to film on the property. “It’s put a stain on a really nice community,” said Autenreith. “It’s only 45 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. it’s like you’re transformed into, you know, a little bit like, I would say Iowa.” Still, Butler residents say the shooting did not break the community. In the days and weeks after, they pulled together to support the Comperatore family and others affected by the violence. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The general Pittsburgh area, we’re pretty tough right here – as the president would refer to as tough cookies,” said Bob Crankovic. Lucie Roth, who had been seated just behind Trump at the Butler rally, said she didn’t hesitate to return. “The very next rally that [Trump] had, I was right behind him again.”
Tom Homan slams ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ critics who stayed silent on Biden’s ‘historic migrant deaths’
Border czar Tom Homan slammed lawmakers for criticizing the conditions of “Alligator Alcatraz” — the nation’s newest detention center — while remaining “silent” about the migrant death toll under former President Joe Biden. “Alligator Alcatraz,” which was constructed in the alligator-filled swamplands of the Florida Everglades to deter escapees, has drawn scrutiny over its conditions, remote location and potential environmental impact. Critics have questioned whether the site is safe, humane or appropriate for long-term detention. Homan, however, said the center still meets guidelines under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and maintains the “highest” standards in the industry. “Detainees complain about the conditions of detention,” Homan said during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “You can simply go to ICE.gov and look at the detention standards ICE has. They have the highest detention standards in the industry, but these same congressmen are complaining about ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’” DEM LAWMAKERS TO INSPECT ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ DETENTION CENTER, CITING SAFETY CONCERNS Homan argued that the lawmakers condemning the facility were noticeably absent when migrant deaths surged under the Biden administration. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data obtained by Fox News, 856 migrants died attempting to cross the southern border in fiscal year 2022 — the highest number ever recorded at the time. “You didn’t see them complaining about, under Biden administration, people being held in a border patrol parking lot surrounded by a fence and sweltering heat,” Homan said. “They ignored four years of open borders, historic migrant deaths, historic Americans dying from fentanyl, historic numbers of women and children being sex trafficked.” TRUMP SAYS ONLY WAY OUT OF ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ IS DEPORTATION The border czar claimed that half a million children were trafficked into the country during Biden’s presidency — a crisis he said was not criticized heavily — and asserted that the administration under President Donald Trump has done more to locate those children. “You didn’t hear a word about half a million children being trafficked in the country and them not being able to locate 300,000,” Homan said. “President Trump, this administration, is finding thousands of those children.” SELF-DEPORT OR END UP IN ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ,’ NOEM WARNS MIGRANTS DURING TRUMP VISIT Homan said lawmakers who failed to push for stronger border security remained “silent because they’re complicit” in the crises that unfolded under the Biden administration. “You can’t have strong national security in this country if we don’t have border security,” Homan said. “We got to know who’s coming in, what’s coming, where it’s coming from. But, instead, they kept silent and they kept feeding the American people.” Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Andrew Cuomo to run as independent for New York City mayor: report
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo intends to run as an independent in New York City’s mayoral race after suffering a double-digit defeat to democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in the recent Democratic primary. Cuomo’s anticipated run, reported by NewsNation, where his brother Chris is an anchor, would pit him against incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who switched this year to running as an independent, Mamdani, a 33-year-old assemblyman, and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee. Cuomo plans to ask all candidates not leading the mayoral race by mid-September to vow to drop out, NewsNation reported. A spokesman for Andrew Cuomo said there will be an official announcement soon. Cuomo remained on the ballot after the primary as an independent, but he left open questions about whether he planned to actively campaign. “I want to look at all the numbers as they come in and analyze the rank choice voting,” Cuomo said as the primary drew to a close. “I will then consult with my colleagues on what is the best path for me to help the City of New York, as I have already qualified to run for mayor on an independent line in November.” REPUBLICANS RELENTLESSLY USE MAMDANI AS SOCIALIST CUDGEL TO BASH VULNERABLE DEMOCRATS Mamdani’s upset victory put Democrats in the precarious position of rallying behind a candidate who has promoted controversial positions that include raising income taxes on the city’s top earners, installing government-run grocery stores, and using public funds to make childcare universal. CUOMO STAYING IN NYC MAYOR’S RACE FOR NOW, FOLLOWING STUNNING SETBACK TO MAMDANI IN PRIMARY: SOURCES Mamdani, who is Muslim, has also drawn scrutiny for his vehement opposition to Israel, a key Middle East ally for the United States. Cuomo set himself apart from Mamdani during the primary race by advocating for Israel and garnering support from pro-Israel donors. Mamdani is backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and recently secured an endorsement from Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., an influential Dominican American in the city. The mayoral candidate has also been courting New York labor and teachers unions, some of which have signaled support for him. Three polls conducted in the past two weeks show Cuomo trailing Mamdami and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Adams in a close race for third and fourth. Cuomo served three terms as governor of New York but his scandal-plagued tenure, which included numerous sexual harassment claims, led him to resign in 2021. Cuomo denied wrongdoing but apologized for making people feel “uncomfortable.” He also faced criticism from Republicans for allegedly botching information about COVID-19 deaths in his state.
Noem says criticism of federal response to Texas flooding is ‘all politics’: ‘Disservice to our country’
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday said criticisms over the federal response to the deadly flooding in Texas were politically motivated, calling one Democratic lawmaker’s accusations “absolutely despicable.” Noem appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” where she defended against claims that the FEMA response was delayed, and the assertion from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., that President Donald Trump and Noem fired FEMA employees as flood victims called the agency. “You know, this memo and this criticism, I think, is all politics because I was there,” Noem said. “I was there and every time somebody asked for something, we said, absolutely, it’ll be here as soon as possible and it’ll be done.” Noem said that she and over 700 FEMA workers were in the area within hours of a call with Texas officials. The Coast Guard also immediately deployed following the call, she added. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S TEXAS FLOOD DISASTER RESPONSE ‘FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT’ FROM BIDEN’S APPROACH: NOEM The July Fourth floods killed at least 129 people in central Texas. Authorities believe more than 160 people may still be missing in Kerr County. The secretary said this operation was “the fastest in history that FEMA has ever responded to a disaster” and, unlike FEMA’s poor track record under the Biden administration, this time FEMA “operated how President Trump wanted it to operate.” “I’m very proud of the fact that we didn’t go there and manage it,” she said. “We went there and allowed the local officials to manage it, to run it. The state did a fantastic job. We’re there to support and give them what resources they need.” NOEM RIPS CNN REPORT CLAIMING SHE DELAYED DHS RESPONSE TO TEXAS FLOOD AS ‘ABSOLUTELY TRASH’ When asked about Murphy’s claims about victims’ calls to FEMA going unanswered in the days following the deadly flooding due to firings, Noem called his words “an absolute lie.” “That’s what I think is so disingenuous and horrible about the situation. Nobody was fired, no contracts were ended, everybody was there answering calls and doing all they could to help the people of Texas,” Noem said. “So the fact that Democrats are politicizing this while people are still looking for their babies, they’re still looking for their family members, I think it’s absolutely despicable.” Noem said Americans “need to know the truth” of how Democrats are “taking advantage of this situation to help themselves politically.” “It’s a disservice not just to the people of Texas and these families that are going through grief right now, it’s a disservice to our country,” she said. Fox News Digital reached out to Murphy’s office for comment on Noem’s remarks, but they did not immediately respond. Noem was also asked about a federal judge issuing a temporary restraining order against many of the ICE operations that have been carried out in Southern California.She called the judge’s ruling “ridiculous” and said the federal government will appeal. “We always built our operations, our investigations on casework, on knowing individuals that we needed to target because they were criminals, because they had conducted violent crimes against individuals in their communities or had overstayed their orders, had violated federal laws, and that is always how this is done,” Noem said.
AOC should be sued ‘into bankruptcy’ over latest attack on Trump, stunned critics seethe
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being accused of defaming President Donald Trump by calling him a “rapist” on social media amid controversy over the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The far-left Democrat, who has traded barbs with Trump repeatedly across both of their political careers, weighed in on the current controversy surrounding disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 after facing federal charges related to child sex trafficking. “Wow who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?” Ocasio-Cortez posted to X on Friday. She appeared to be referencing the 2023 civil trial leveled against Trump by writer E. Jean Carroll. A jury found Trump liable of sexual assault, but not of rape, which critics of Ocasio-Cortez repeatedly cited in their condemnation of her use of the word “rapist.” The comments came after the Trump Department of Justice said there is no list of Epstein clients. But Trump supporters and legal experts alike warned AOC to lawyer up after dropping the “R” bomb. “The President should sue AOC into bankruptcy. I realize she’s trying to raise her profile but this is way way too far,” legal analyst Phil Holloway posted to X on Saturday in response to a message from Ocasio-Cortez. ‘I’M JUST A SILLY GIRL’: AOC FIRES BACK AFTER TRUMP CALLS HER ‘STUPID’ “Even under the ridiculously lenient standards of NY Times v. Sullivan, you’ve managed to incur defamation liability Wow,” Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee posted to X in response. “Why didn’t you guys release the Epstein files over the last 4 years? Maybe you were too busy covering for Joe Biden… or, could it have something to do with another former Democrat President?” Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin posted in response to Ocasio-Cortez. APPEALS COURT DEALS TRUMP BLOW IN CHALLENGE TO E JEAN CARROLL VERDICT “Well we have grounds for a huge defamation suit here you idiot because Donald Trump has never been indicted for rape much less convicted,” host of YourVoice America Bill Mitchell posted to X. “You realize your X account doesn’t carry the same protections to defame people that you enjoy during congressional proceedings?” another X account posted. Other critics of the lawmaker’s message said the use of the word “rapist” comes on the heels of ABC paying Trump $15 million, which will go toward funding his presidential library, over George Stephanopoulos’ claim in March of last year that Trump was found civilly liable of rape in the E. Jean Carroll case. Trump has repeatedly denied even knowing Carroll, claiming she made false allegations that he raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s in an effort to sell books decades later. “Donald Trump has not been criminally convicted of being a rapist. This is defamatory. And I hope you are sued by Trump for this the same way George Stephanopoulos was sued and forced to pay Trump $15 million dollars. I hope you have millions ready for Trump, Porky. @AOC,” Trump ally Laura Loomer posted in response to Ocasio-Cortez. ‘GONE TOO FAR’: GOP LAWMAKERS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MUSK RAISES EPSTEIN ALLEGATIONS “This is gonna be fun. AOC is so dumb she just called Trump a rapist – after ABC was forced to fork over $16 million in a settlement with Trump after George Stephanopoulos called him a rapist,” Townhall contributor Rachel Alexander posted to X. In March 2024, Stephanopoulos asserted in a tense interview with Republican Rep. Nancy Mace that Trump was found “liable for rape” in a civil case. Stephanopoulos showed a clip of Mace discussing being a victim of rape before he asked her, “How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?” “You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape,” Stephanopoulos said, alluding to the legal victory by Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll. AOC TAUNTS TOM HOMAN AFTER DOJ REFERRAL THREAT OVER DEPORTATIONS: ‘COME FOR ME’ Stephanopoulos repeated the claim on rape 10 times during the interview, Fox Digital previously reported, before Trump filed a defamation suit. ABC News and Stephanopoulos reached a settlement agreement with Trump’s legal team ahead of his second inauguration, paying $15 million and announcing the network and anchor “regret” the comments made on air. “Editor’s Note: ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024,” an editor’s note in an article focused on the interview states. Other social media commenters defended Ocasio-Cortez‘s use of the word “rapist,” arguing she did not use Trump’s name in her post and that a defamation case was unlikely. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office on Sunday for additional comment on the matter, but did not immediately receive a reply. “AOC likes to play pretend like she’s from the block, but in reality she’s just a sad, miserable blockhead who is trying to over-compensate for her lack of self-confidence that has followed her for her entire life,” White House communication director Steven Cheung said in comment provided to Fox News Digital on Sunday. “Instead, she should get some serious help for her obvious and severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted her pea-sized brain,” he added.
MAGA world erupts over Trump’s defense of Bondi amid Epstein files fallout
MAGA supporters are nor pleased with President Donald Trump following his full-throated defense of Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose Department of Justice denied the existence of a Jeffrey Epstein client list after years of Trump surrogates vowing to reveal the disgraced financier’s secrets. Longtime conservatives and supporters of Trump sounded off on social media this weekend, as well as in person during a convention in Florida, with various messages pledging that the Epstein scandal will not “go away.” The DOJ determined that Epstein committed suicide in 2019 and that there is no list detailing the names of the world’s elite who allegedly took part in Epstein’s history of sexual deviancy. “.@realDonaldTrump please understand the EPSTEIN AFFAIR is not going away,” retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, Trump’s national security advisor from his first administration, posted to X on Saturday. “If the administration doesn’t address the massive number of unanswered questions about Epstein, especially the ABUSE OF CHILDREN BY ELITES (it is very clear that abuse occurred), then moving forward on so many other monumental challenges our nation is facing becomes much harder.” The DOJ and FBI said in a joint memo obtained by Fox News last week that the two agencies had no further information to share with the public about Epstein’s case and death. That led to FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino clashing with Bondi over “lack of transparency” and threatening to resign over the matter, Fox News reported. TRUMP DEFENDS EMBATTLED AG PAM BONDI, SAYS ‘NOBODY CARES ABOUT’ JEFFREY EPSTEIN Epstein was a notorious predator who pleaded guilty to procuring underage girls for prostitution in 2008, before he was arrested in 2019 on new federal charges of sex trafficking minors and conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors. Epstein, who had rubbed elbows with the world’s elites stretching from Bill Gates to being photographed with Trump long before his presidency, was found dead in his New York City jail cell in August 2019 by apparent suicide. Many MAGA supporters, however, have claimed Epstein did not hang himself, and the death was allegedly part of a bigger cover-up protecting elites allegedly involved in his sexual abuse of minors. DAVID MARCUS: TRUMP IS FLUNKING HIS MAGA BASE’S JEFFREY EPSTEIN TEST Trump took to Truth Social on Saturday evening and offered a strong endorsement of Bondi as conservatives demanded answers over the long-running scandal. “What’s going on with my ‘boys’ and, in some cases, ‘gals?’ They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB,” Trump wrote in a lengthy post on Truth Social on Saturday. “We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening.” He referred to Epstein as the “guy who never dies,” adding, “For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again.” FBI’S DAN BONGINO AND ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI CLASH OVER HANDLING OF EPSTEIN FILES Trump questioned why people were “giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden administration.” “They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called ‘friends’ are playing right into their hands,” Trump wrote. “Why didn’t these Radical Left Lunatics release the Epstein Files? If there was ANYTHING in there that could have hurt the MAGA Movement, why didn’t they use it?” “LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB – SHE’S GREAT! The 2020 Election was Rigged and Stolen, and they tried to do the same thing in 2024 – That’s what she is looking into as AG, and much more,” he wrote. “One year ago our Country was DEAD, now it’s the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World. Let’s keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.” Trump supporters repeatedly posted on X that the Epstein scandal will not simply dissipate after years of high-profile Trump allies, including Bondi, Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel, previously vowing to expose the corruption surrounding Epstein, his alleged client list and the alleged crimes that played out on his notorious island, Little Saint James. “We cannot allow pedophiles to get away. I don’t personally care who they are or what elite or powerful position they hold. They must be exposed and held accountable!!!” Flynn continued in his X post. Activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer also slammed Bondi over her leadership, while taking a swipe at the president as well. 10 REASONS THE DOJ AND FBI FACE BACKLASH OVER EPSTEIN FILES FLOP “President Trump says he thinks Blondi is ‘doing a Fantastic job’ as AG in a post he posted on Truth Social today….” Loomer posted to X on Saturday, accompanied by screenshots of his Truth Social post praising Bondi. “People make their own choices and decisions, but mark my word, the lack of actual results at the DOJ and lack of transparency that translates into incompetence will cost the GOP House and Senate seats. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she added in a follow-up post on Saturday. Robby Starbuck, another longtime Trump supporter and conservative social media personality, railed online that the “age of secrets” must come to an end – beginning with Epstein. “People want truth, they want the rapists exposed and brought to justice, they want to break the deep state, they want the 100 year storm of lies from government to end and they want to end the two tiered system of justice. People want peace, safety, justice and sanity,” Starbuck posted in a lengthy message on Saturday. GHISLAINE MAXWELL FOLLOWS PRISON FITNESS ROUTINE, VIDEO SHOWS, AS DOJ’S JEFFREY EPSTEIN MEMO DRAWS HEAT “They want their country back. This case became a symbol for all of that. Fair or unfair, that’s the truth. President Trump rarely loses touch with what’s happening among the base but he’s missing the pulse on this one. Saying so doesn’t mean disloyalty or hatred, it means that this matters so much that we
Trump stands ‘stronger than ever’ one year after surviving Pennsylvania assassination attempt, staffers say
In a matter of minutes on a hot summer Saturday in northwestern Pennsylvania, the already unprecedented 2024 election cycle was rocked by an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life that had a sweeping effect not only on the upcoming presidency, but also staffers who witnessed the harrowing moment. Eight shots rang out at the Butler Farm Show Grounds at about 6:11 p.m. Eastern Time, roughly six minutes after Trump took the open-air rally’s stage. The rally began on its typical lively note, with the former and upcoming president swaying to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and engaging with supporters by pointing at them as they clapped and held up signs declaring, “Joe Biden, you’re fired.” The rally came to a screeching halt after Trump began his address and was seen grabbing the side of his head before abruptly dropping to the ground. Rally-goers were also seen ducking for cover as confusion gripped the small fairgrounds located just north of Pittsburgh. Secret Service agents threw their bodies over Trump as shields as they worked to get him off of the stage and to a secure location. FIRST RESPONDERS SIT DOWN WITH WIDOW OF FIREFIGHTER KILLED AT BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA TRUMP RALLY Acting Secret Service Director Sean M. Curran, one of the agents who rushed to protect Trump that day, told Fox News Digital that July 13, 2024, has remained at the top of his mind since he was tapped to lead the Secret Service. “One year ago, I was by President Trump’s side when a lone gunman attempted to assassinate him in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Curran said. “My heart will always be with all those impacted on that day, especially Corey Comperatore, who lost his life while protecting those around him.” “Since President Trump appointed me as director of the United States Secret Service, I have kept my experience on July 13 top of mind, and the agency has taken many steps to ensure such an event can never be repeated in the future,” he continued. “Nothing is more important to the United States Secret Service than the safety and security of our protectees. As director, I am committed to ensuring our agency is fully equipped, resourced and aligned to carry out our important mission each and every day.” ONE YEAR AFTER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, BUTLER WIDOW DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM SECRET SERVICE Trump emerged into the camera’s view with a trail of blood streaked across his cheek and famously raised a fist before defiantly chanting, “Fight, fight, fight” as law enforcement escorted him from the stage. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who served as Trump campaign manager in 2024 and witnessed the harrowing attempt, told the New York Post’s Miranda Devine earlier in July in a podcast interview that she “100%” believes divine intervention protected Trump from a greater tragedy that day. “The way the rally itself unfolded, the chart he had them put up on the screens… it was always the last chart in the rotation. And it was always on the other side” of the stage, Wiles told Devine in an interview that published Wednesday. “To have him ask for that chart eight minutes in and to have it come on the side that is opposite caused him to look in a different direction… I believe God wanted him to live.” SECRET SERVICE SUSPENDS 6 AGENTS TASKED WITH PROTECTING TRUMP DURING JULY 2024 ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick, who was in the midst of his election cycle to unseat longtime Democrat Sen. Bob Casey, said in comment to Fox News Digital that he was just feet from Trump when the gunshots rang out. “I was sitting just 15 feet from the stage at the Butler rally when the shots rang out. Moments before the attempted assassination, President Trump asked me to come on stage to give my remarks. As I was headed onstage, he prompted me to wait until after he spoke to the crowd about an immigration chart. Returning to my seat, I watched as President Trump turned his attention and head towards the chart—a decision that likely saved his life,” McCormick said. “Moments later, a bullet meant for his head struck his ear. He went down, then stood up and raised his fist in defiance. That moment captured who he is at his core—a strong leader—and marked a turning point in the 2024 election. Strong leadership sets a tone — like a ripple effect. President Trump didn’t panic and stood strong and so did the crowd. Instead of chaos, chants of ‘USA’ rang out.” The shooting injured three people, including Trump, and killed local father and former fire chief Corey Comperatore. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reflected on Comperatore’s tragic death in a comment to Fox Digital, underscoring that the president “will never forget Corey and his beautiful family.” “One year ago in Butler, Pennsylvania, we tragically lost an American hero, Corey Comperatore, who selflessly laid down his life to protect those around him,” she said. “President Trump will never forget Corey and his beautiful family. On that dark day, God spared President Trump’s life by a miraculous millimeter. Now one year later, President Trump is standing stronger than ever as he continues to ‘fight, fight, fight’ for the American people.” Comperatore’s widow, Helen, spoke to Fox News in an emotional interview about her husband’s death earlier in July, demanding accountability from the Secret Service over how a gunman was able to fire off shots without intervention. “We were all sitting ducks that day,” Helen Comperatore told Fox News. “Our blood is all over their hands. I am angry. I lost the love of my life. They screwed up.” TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AFTERMATH, REACTIONS FROM INNER CIRCLE REVEALED IN NEW BOOK “Why Butler? Why was that such a failure? Why weren’t they paying attention? Why did they think that that roof didn’t need covered?” she asked. “I want to sit down and talk to them. I have the right to. They need to listen to me.”
Journalist Salena Zito reveals what Trump supporters meant when they turned on the cameras at the Butler
When President Donald Trump entered his vehicle, surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents, in the moments following his attempted assassination at his Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally one year ago, the crowd traded their “USA” chants for expletives as they directed their anger toward the media gathered on the press riser. Veteran political reporter Salena Zito spoke with Fox News Digital ahead of the release of her new book, “Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland.” Zito found herself inside the Secret Service’s secure perimeter, just steps away from Trump, when a gunman unleashed gunfire on the crowd, one year ago. “It wasn’t directed at the press,” Zito said of the impassioned Trump supporters who turned to face the media once Trump was out of sight. “It was directed at the cameras, letting the country know that this is unacceptable, and our country is in peril, and we need to be strong about it.” Zito, who has built her career telling real stories from the American heartland, said she spoke with the Trump supporters who can be seen shouting at the camera in the video played around the world. VETERAN POLITICAL REPORTER REVEALS WHAT THE MEDIA MISSED ABOUT TRUMP’S APPEAL TO AMERICANS IN 2024 “They confirmed that. They said, ‘We weren’t blaming the press. We were blaming everything that led to this in our country, and we were mad about that, and we wanted to show defiance to that,’” Zito said. JOURNALIST WHO REFUSED TO DUCK DURING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT REFLECTS ON BUTLER RALLY IN NEW BOOK Fox News confirmed ahead of the one-year anniversary of Trump’s first attempted assassination that six Secret Service agents were suspended without pay after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at Trump during a rally in western Pennsylvania last summer. Supervisors and line-level agents were suspended in February, ranging from 10 to 42 days without pay, the Secret Service confirmed to Fox News. Speaking with Fox News Digital following initial reports about the agents’ suspension, Zito said it was “well warranted” for those making logistical decisions to be suspended. “I will say unequivocally that the men and women that were taking care of President Trump that day, that were in his detail and in that buffer, were on top of everything,” Zito said. “Those men and women were doing their jobs right when they put themselves in the line of fire.” Zito, who refused to get down when she first heard the shots, said Trump was “surrounded in a sea of blue.” “They put him in a protective stance, and they put their lives on the line,” Zito said. “Nothing should be taken away from that bravery in that moment. Those field officers were heroes that day.” Trump recovered from his near assassination with little more than a bullet graze to the ear, thanks to the immigration chart he was turning his head to face. One rally attendee, firefighter Corey Comperatore, was killed, and two others were critically injured by Crooks’ gunshots. In the moments following the gunfire, Zito said what she saw next was “really quite remarkable.” “People left there pretty orderly. There wasn’t a rush. There wasn’t a stampede. You saw the medics taking care of the people that had fallen [or] were injured. But you mostly saw people getting each other out and across the field,” Zito explained. Zito said it was “amazing” to see “how orderly people left.” An hour later, when she returned to the large parking lot, they hadn’t let one car go, so there were thousands of Trump supporters gathered together. “These people are out of their cars, they’re sharing water, they’re hugging each other, they’re making sure they’re okay, they’re sharing food. They’re just talking. I really was struck by their comportment in that moment,” Zito said. Zito’s book takes readers back to July 13, 2024, when she was mere steps away from Trump when shots were fired. She is a political reporter for the Washington Examiner, a special contributor for the Washington Post and has been a columnist for the New York Post.